1997 NCAA Womens Volleyball Championship Press Conference Quotes

Stanford-Penn State NCAA Championship Press Conference Quotes

DON SHAW, Stanford head coach

Opening comments: "First of all I'd like to congratulate
Russ (Rose) and the Penn State team. I know how hard it is to play a
match like that and end up second. They really fought back and made a
match out of it. I fully expected them to do that."

On Penn State's comeback: "We came out so flat in game
three. That's the worst position to be in when you have that 10-minute
break when you're up and in control. It's tough to go back and be as
sharp as you were at the end of game two. Game four was a great
effort, not only by Penn State, but by us. It was tough that we didn't
pull it off, but you move on."

On Senior Paula McNamee: "Paula has not had the opportunity
until this year to get in there and get a lot of game time. She got a
chance to be our starter at the beginning of the year and she's just
developed as the year went on. She's always been one of our hardest
workers and she's one of our leaders and it's great to see her go out
in a blaze of glory like she did."

On Senior Lisa Sharpley: "Lisa's a proven big-game player
and I always have confidence with her out there. She pays attention to
what's going on. If we make an adjustment, she is going to find a way
to make it work."

On game four: "When you look at the statistics you see both
teams had over 80 attempts in that one game. These two teams have
played matches this year where we haven't that many swings in the
match. It was just a classic, I can't wait to see it."

On PSU rotation change in game five: "They went four games
starting with their sixth rotation instead of their third. Terri
(Zamaitis) was playing so well, I think Russ was forced to get her up
front for the start of game five. That gave us the matchup I wanted in
the first place. She had to go against Folkl a few times, so they had
to send Terri in the other direction."

KRISTIN FOLKL, Stanford Senior

On what turned the match around after game four: "There
never is one defining thing that turns it all around. We got in the
huddle and told each other we've worked too hard and too long for
this. We can't go out this way. We had the first two games, we can do
this. We realized that's not the volleyball that Stanford plays and
that we can play a lot better."

On her third championship: "This one by far is the best
I've been in. Hawaii was great, but it was over in three games. This
one was a total team effort, it was such a battle and the crowd was so
into it, it just made it feel like it was a very special event. Plus
as a senior you always want to win your last match and go out on top."

PAULA MCNAMEE, Stanford Senior

On her 'storybook' ending: "This is what I have been
looking forward to the last five years. The other championships were
nice, but I was on the bench. Being out there when we actually won the
point, I didn't know what to do. I just stood there for a second and
absorbed all the excitement all around me. It was absolutely amazing."

LISA SHARPLEY, Stanford Senior

On winning in her senior year: "This feels so rewarding
right now to have won such a battle. As much as we wanted to win in
three, looking back, to have won such a great match just feels all the
better. To know that both teams were at their best and to still come
out on top is a great, great feeling."

RUSS ROSE, Penn State head coach

Opening comments: "First I'd like to congratulate Stanford
on their success in this match. I thought we played hard for a few
games but we dug ourselves such an early hole early in the first two
games. We were going uphill most of the time. Even when we gained the
momentum after winning the third and fourth games there were just a
couple on the bench who were really gassed, it looked like, and didn't
have the ability to focus on things they needed to focus on. We just
didn't have the ability to do some of the things we wanted to do."

On his team's effort: "I think we played hard. I don't
think we played particularly well. I'm disappointed in the way we
played. I'm not disappointed with my team as people and players. You
learn lessons and that's the way it goes. A lot of balls didn't go our
way, but we kept our composure."

On Stanford: "I think you have to credit Stanford. We were
out-hit, we were out-blocked, and we were out-dug -- all of these
things statistically. I think Stanford played well enough to win today
and we didn't. I think there's a big difference at the end of the game
when we're tipping and hitting roll shots and Folkl's taking big
swings. To me, that was one of the bigger differences."

On Terri Zemaitis: "I really admire the way Terri played
especially. I thought she kept us in the match almost single-handedly.
She provided us with the emotion that we needed, but it was not meant
to be."

TERRI ZEMATIS, Penn State Senior

On being named the tournament MVP: "I don't find
consolation in that. I'm just really proud of my team. Hey, we
could've quit in three, but we didn't."